The Fireman and the Myrmidon
by LongLiveTheSovereign
Summary: A short crackshipping story between two of my favorite Fire Emblem characters. Enjoy!
1. A Brief Chat

_It was a day that had begun like any other. At least, for me, it that is the way it was._

_A few months had passed since the goddess Ashera turned almost everyone to stone, but thanks to Greil's son and the new queen of Daein, everyone was restored._

_I had decided to stay with the Greil mercenaries for a while. I wasn't quite sure why, at first. It wouldn't be until later that I would realize why…_

_I stood in the shadows, leaning against a building of the mercenary's home. In my mind, I was going over what Commander Ike had asked of me. At least, that's what I thought I was doing. But my eyes continued to wander…until they always found her._

_Mia. _

_For her as well, the day was not unlike any other. There she was, wildly but gracefully swinging her practice sword at Boyd. After several failed attempts to strike back, the young axeman gave up, and left the training grounds, leaving Mia alone to swing at a practice dummy. She went on for hours, and I stood in the shadows and watched for hours. Soon came the sunset. That was when she noticed me. She smiled. My heart stopped. She walked up to me covered in sweat that glistened in the sunlight. Her long, violet hair trailed out behind her._

"Heya, Volke! What'cha doing?" she asked. "Oh, uh…I mean…would you prefer Fireman? Sir Fireman? …Mr. Fireman?"

"…Just Volke is fine," I replied. Mr_. Fireman? That's just…_way_ too awkward…_"…Do you have a job for me? I already had a job from the commander, so it'll have to wait—"

"Oh, no, it's nothing like that!" Mia said. "I was just…you know…saying hi."

"…Hello."

"Yep! So…I saw you watching while I was training today. Did you want to join me? Always better to train with someone else than swinging at a practice dummy all day!"

"…I'll pass. I'm not a front-line fighter."

"Oh…well, do you want to…I don't know, hang out?" I felt my face redden slightly at her question. Fortunately, I kept my face hidden, so she could not tell.

"…If you wish. I…do not mind."

"All right! So…"

_And that was how it began. Mia just…started talking to me, out of the blue, and about things I never would have expected from someone like her. I always knew she was a highly skilled swordswoman, but not once had I ever thought about her as just a girl. She had reasonable confidence in her own skills, but she opened up to me about problems that she seemed incredibly modest about. The one moment that caught my attention the most was when she began talking about Gatrie, the self-proclaimed ladies' man._

"I mean…he hits on just about every girl he sees, you know?" she asked. "It's not like I like him or anything, but he…hasn't said anything about me…Does that mean that…Am I not…pretty?"

_Why would she come to _me_ about these problems?_ _I caught myself wondering this many times during our lengthy conversation. Why come to me and not another one of the women? Why not her best friend, Ilyana? Captain Titania? The commander's little sister? Hell, even _Rhys_ would probably be better at this than me…All I do is just smile and nod. Not like she could see me smiling. And anyway, I was only half-paying attention to all that she was saying. It wasn't that I was trying to ignore her, or drown her out with other thoughts. I just kept getting lost in her eyes…those large, emerald eyes…and her smile, her laugh…the sweet, fruity scent of her hair…_

"Well, anyway, thanks for listening, Volke," Mia said. "It feels good to let all that stuff out, you know?"

"…Uh…sure. No problem."

"Well, it's 'bout time for dinner. Time to fill my belly with some of Oscar's food. Mmm…I can smell it all the way from here…" She hungrily placed a hand over her stomach, and walked towards the kitchen. "See ya' later, Volke! Let's chat again soon, 'kay?"

"Uh, yeah…sure…" A few stars were beginning to shine in the sky. I looked up at it and thought, _Why me? Out of everyone here, why would she want to chat with someone like me? Maybe…I'm just lucky. Heh. Get a grip, Volke; you're starting to sound like Bastian. And having those kinds of thoughts about a girl…now I'm even starting to _act_ like that jester…_


	2. Best Friend

**Mia's POV**

"Ahh, that was a good dinner! Damn, am I _stuffed_! That Oscar sure can cook!" I plopped down on a bed next to my close friend, Ilyana. The young mage sat up on her bed with several plates of food, some with and some without food. "So, who'd you steal all that from _this_ time, Illie?" I smirked.

"Oh…no one," she answered quietly. "Zihark…gave it to me…"

"Huh; I didn't know he was visiting…"

"Well, yes…We are…engaged…after all…"

"Ilyana, you never mentioned that!"

"Oh…didn't I? I…suppose not…I could have sworn that I did, though…"

"Well, good for you, sweetie! I'm so happy for you!" I pulled her into a tight hug, ignoring the streak sauce that dripped from her plate and onto my bare foot, which I quickly hid from sight. Knowing Ilyana, I knew she would have had no problems with licking it up. "I know he'll do his best to make you happy!"

"Yes. He…likes to feed me…"

"Better be careful, though. If you keep eating the way you've _been_ eating, this gut of yours will end up bigger than Oliver's!" I playfully poked her belly, making her laugh slightly.

"Yes…maybe then…I wouldn't be hungry anymore…"

"…Ilyana, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…you know…make fun of your condition, or anything…"

"Oh, I know you wouldn't, Mia…that's why you're my best friend…" I smiled at her.

"Oh, hey, so, the weirdest thing happened before dinner; after training, I was out there talking to _Volke_ of all people — uh, you know which one he is, right?"

"Yes…I'm getting better at remembering people's names," Ilyana said. "I once hired him…to get some food for me…It was so delicious…I'd hire him again, if I had the money to…"

"I thought he only did stuff like, assassinations, and stuff?"

"No…he said that…since it was me…and we've fought on the same side…He would make an exception…He even…lowered his normal price because he knew I didn't have a lot of gold…"

"…Wow…I…never knew he could be such a nice guy…"

"Do I detect a hint of dreaminess in your voice?" Ilyana giggled.

"W—What?! No, I…I…well, _maybe_…He's a good listener, you know? And I don't know why, but I just felt…comfortable telling him everything that I did…"

"You _llllike_ him, don't you?"

"_Ilyana…_"

"I'm sorry; you're just so adorable when you're embarrassed like this," Ilyana laughed.

"…Yeah…I guess I…do…kind of…like him…a little," I said after a while. "Back during the Mad King's War, he saved me a couple of times, whether he knew if or not. It kept happening, so I wondered if maybe _he_ liked _me_…I forgot all about it until that incident with Ashera a few months ago, when we were fighting those disciples outside the Tower of Guidance in Begnion. I found myself surrounded…and just then, _he _came and saved me again…" I sighed.

"Does he like dueling at dawn?" Ilyana asked.

"Oh…you know, I've never asked him…When we were talking earlier, I just kept talking about random nonsense, and he just kept listening…And as I talk about him more, with you, I just…I feel like…I don't know…how to describe it…But I like him…I like him a lot, even though we've only spoken just that one time…He's so…brave…and mysterious…and he really is a nice guy…"

"Why don't you tell him how you feel?"

"…But…What if he doesn't feel the same? I don't know if I could handle that…"

"Why _wouldn't_ he? Just look at yourself, Mia; you're so beautiful, and you're a very talented swordswoman, and you're one of the nicest people I know…"

"Ilyana…"

"…Tell you what; the merchant caravan and I are going to the beach near Delbray Castle…Would you like to come with us?"

"…Me? Go with you?"

"Yes, of course; going to the beach is always more fun if you go with your best friends," Ilyana said. "You can ask Volke if he'd like to go with us…and you can tell him then…"

"…I…guess so…"

"Trust me; he won't be able to resist you once he sees you in a bikini…even though he _is_ Volke…" I giggled along with her.

"I hope you're right…"


	3. A Day at the Beach

**A/N:** So, after this one, there will only be one chapter left to right of this incredibly, _incredibly_ random pairing. Seriously, I don't even remember how I thought of it...anyway, enjoy :)

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><p><strong>Volke's POV<strong>

_I have no idea how it happened…_

_I have no idea at all how I ended up going to the beach with Mia. She was quite a convincing speaker, I had to admit; I even came without receiving payment for doing so._

_Actually being at the beach was nothing new to me — well, the beach itself was new, but the ocean I had seen several hundreds of times. And though I knew that she too had seen it before — during the Mad King's War, while our group was traveling to Begnion — the way she stared out at it was almost as though she never had seen it once in her life. Her eyes were glimmering and shinning with the reflection of the sun on the ocean's surface. Her smile was wide — definitely saying something._

"…This is amazing," she said in a breathless voice. She raised her arms up above her head and stretched. I could see her enjoying the feeling of the warm sand between each of her toes. From time to time, I would catch myself staring at her, only to remind myself of who I was…of _what_ I was. Although, I had to admit, it was hard _not_ to look. She wore a deep blue bikini, leaving very little to the imagination. Trust me when I say I have a lot of imagination. She turned to her side and looked up at me with her large, emerald eyes. "Thanks for coming with me, Volke."

"…Sure." I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from smiling when I saw her own. _Assassins don't smile,_ I told myself.

"Rather inconspicuous beachwear, though," Zihark said sarcastically. I still had no idea why he had come along with Mia and me. Ilyana, I was told, had invited Mia along, and Mia then invited me the week before.

"He kinda has a point," Mia agreed. I did too, naturally; in addition to my pair of swim trunks, I still wore my mask, headband, and scarf. I noticed people staring at me as they passed us by…and if not at me, then at Mia. Mia and her slender, yet curvaceous and well-endowed body…

_Stop it, Volke! You can't…not with her…not with what you are…_

"I'm…so hungry," Ilyana whispered. Like Mia, she too wore a bikini, though hers was lavender, and more lacy, frilled, and…"girly," I suppose you could say. "If I…don't get something to eat soon…I'm going to pass out…"

"Aw, come with me, Illie; I'll help you find an ice cream vendor or something, and I'll buy you all the ice cream you can eat!" Mia grabbed Ilyana by the wrist and practically dragged her along behind her, leaving me alone with Zihark.

"…So…here we are," he said. "Delbray Beach…"

"…Yes." The two of us sat down on the sand as Mia and Ilyana managed to find an ice cream vendor not twenty feet away from us.

"Still not much of a talker, eh?"

"No reason _to_ be." I glanced at the other man. "…So…why did you come? Did Mia invite you as well?"

"You mean you don't know? Strange…I always figured you knew everything," Zihark said. "Ilyana and I are engaged."

"…Oh. I…thought you couldn't be with another woman," I said. "Not after…that Laguz woman…" As I said these words, the memory of just _who_ exactly Zihark was came back to me. Zihark…one of the least prejudiced men on the face of Tellius.

"So you know _that_ story, but you didn't know I've been engaged for a few months?" he laughed. The man behind the ice cream vendor Mia and Ilyana were at suddenly walked away, and he was carrying a rather large armful of gold. I could only assume the two girls bought the entire thing from him, especially when Ilyana picked up an entire gallon and hastily shoved her face into it, not bothering to use the silverware that beautiful Mia had offered to her.

…_Beautiful? …Maybe I do…like her…_As she had said after our first conversation, the two of us spoke at least twice a day. She was always smiling whenever she had approached me; not like the others. With the exception of Ike, the other members of Greil's Mercenaries tended to avoid me unless we were in the middle of battle. But not Mia. She always took the time to search for me, and speak to me. And she never seemed nervous to do so, either. In fact…she almost seemed _excited_ to have the chance to talk to me. It seemed like it didn't matter what she spoke about, so long as she spoke about it to me. But why _me_? The more conversations we had, the more I grew to enjoy them and even look forward to them. But why had she chosen me? Out of everyone there, it always made more sense to me for her to choose Rhys, Ike, Ilyana…anyone _but_ me. But that didn't seem to bother her.

"…You've been staring at her for a while now," Zihark interrupted my thoughts. "At Mia."

"…Have I?"

"Yes, you have."

"…Zihark…there is…something I must tell you," I said. "…I…have it."

"'It?' And what exactly is 'it?'"

"…The brand."

"…I suppose that might explain a lot," Zihark said, not sounding disturbed in the slightest.

"I have told only the Duke of Fayre this before," I said.

"You mean Bastian?" Zihark asked. I nodded.

"I am a Branded child of Wolf Laguz ancestry," I continued. "I grew up in Hatari…where there is no prejudice for Laguz or Beorc…or for those who carry the brand. It wasn't until I left the paradise of isolation that I discovered the animosity held in the hearts of both races on the other side of the lost kingdom. And so, I kept my heritage a secret, and to ensure that nobody would discover my secret, I took to living in the shadows as an assassin. There…I felt the comforting isolation I once felt long ago in Hatari, under Queen Nailah's rule."

"That's one hell of a story," Zihark said. "But, why are you telling me this?"

"Because…for the first time in my life…I have somebody that I truly care about," I said. "I never knew my family, and I was alone often when I was younger, growing up in Hatari. But now…I feel like I can say for certain…that I have somebody that I love. I…love Mia…" Zihark chuckled to himself.

"Good for you. Go for it." He slapped me on the back.

"But…my heritage—"

"Oh, for Yune's sake; do you really think that girl cares?!" Zihark laughed even harder. "She stayed with the Greil's Mercenaries all the way through the war alongside the Laguz Alliance. Trust me; she holds no hatred at all for the Laguz, as I know you do not."

"But I'm _not_—"

"And that boy, Soren — he, too, carries the brand," Zihark interrupted. "I know the other mercenaries, and not just Ike, know that. That means Mia knows, too. I'm telling you; go for it. I've seen the way she talks to and about you; I can tell that she feels the same."

"…Thank you…Zihark," I said. The two of us sat in silence for a few hours, and watched Ilyana gorge herself with over four gallons of ice cream before returning with Mia.

"Hey, sweetie; how are you feeling?" Zihark asked.

"I'm…hic…so…full…for once…hic!" Ilyana said. Through the mess of various flavors of ice cream that were slathered all over her face, I could see a tiny smile, and her hands were resting over her swollen belly.

"Good; I'm glad you're feeling better." Zihark stood up and kissed her on the cheek, but before doing so, he quickly turned to me and mouthed the words, "_Tell her_."

"So, Volke, what'cha wanna to do?" Mia asked, plopping down on the sand next to me. "We've got the whole day to just do whatever! So…"

"I…need to rest," Ilyana said slowly, carefully laying herself down in the sand. Zihark sat down next to her and placed his hand over her belly to help her massage the pain away, though he was staring directly into my eyes. "I've never been…full…before…hic!"

"Aw, poor baby," Mia said.

"No…hic!...it feels…nice…better than…hunger pains…"

"I'll stay here with Ilyana," Zihark said, and rather quickly, I noticed. "You two can just do whatever you'd like."

"Well, if you say so…" Mia looked at me. I stared back at her, deep into those emerald seas… "So, what do you want to—"

"Mia…there is…something I must tell you," I interrupted. "…I have…I…have the brand."

"Oh, you mean like Soren?"

"…Yes. I have Laguz blood in my veins."

"Huh! Didn't see that coming!" Mia exclaimed. "But that's pretty cool, though!"

_Not bothered in the slightest…?_

"Is…that all you wanted to tell me?" Mia asked. She almost sounded disappointed.

"Do you…truly…not care about what I am?"

"Of course I care! Why? Did someone say something mean to you?!"

"Uh, no, but—"

"'Cause if they do, just direct 'em to _me_; I'll have a sword stuck between their eyes before they know what hit 'em!"

"Quite violently protective of your friends, aren't you?" Zihark smirked.

"Damn right I am! I even almost killed Boyd when he made fun of Ilyana being hungry all the time!"

"But…you do not…_mind_…what I am?" I asked.

"Of course I don't mind! Laguz are awesome! Even though you're kind of only, like, _half_ a Laguz, I guess…Sometimes, I wish _I_ were a Laguz; I'd be, like, the first Laguz swordswoman ever! Wouldn't that be awesome?! And if I were a hawk, I could swoop down and cut my enemies' heads off from the sky!"

"…It's almost frightening how _eager_ you are to decapitate others," Zihark said.

"…No. I like that about her," I said. "It might seem like eagerness to kill, but all it is is eagerness to protect those dear to her. I…like that very much about her."

"Volke…"

"Mia…you always made it a point to search me out each and every day this past week, and you'd always talk to me," I said. "Everyone else other than Ike would usually avoid me, but you…you didn't. You treated me with kindness that I probably do not deserve, but you still show regardless. Mia…I love you."

"Volke…!" Mia's eyes filled with tears. Without any warning, she flung her arms around me and hugged me tightly. From behind her silky, violet hair, I could see Zihark giving me a thumbs up. "It's…the bikini, isn't it?"

"Well…you do…look…very…good…in it," I said nervously. "But…this was something…that I came to realize a little while back, even if I didn't know it at the time."

"Volke…I…I love you, too," Mia said. "Back during the Mad King's War…you saved my life…several times…and back in Begnion, outside the Tower of Guidance…you did it again." She pulled away from me; she was blushing madly and smiling wide, with a tear sliding down her cheek. "It…may not have been intentional…but I couldn't help thinking to myself…how brave you were to do that…and how _dashing_ you looked doing it, in that black cloak, with that scarf flying behind you in the wind…" Mia sighed.

_And that was how it happened. With the help of Zihark, I was able to tell Mia how I felt about her. We embraced…and we kissed._

_And at that point, I felt my life truly begin._

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><p><strong>AN:** Any Fairy Tail fans? Volke's choice in swimwear reminded me of a particular scene with Jellal, and I couldn't stop laughing XD


	4. The Miracle of Life

_8 Months Later_

_Mia's POV_

"Today…is finally the day…isn't it?" Ilyana asked.

"Yup! Volke and I are getting married today!" I jumped up in the air several times, and turned to face my maid of honor. "Oh, you look _so_ adorable in that, Ilyana! Just absolutely radiant!"

"Oh…thank you, Mia," the young mage said timidly. "You look…so beautiful in that dress…like a big wedding cake…covered in frosting…oh, and whipped cream…mmmm…"

"…Thank you for being my maid of honor, Ilyana," I said. "It means a lot to me, you know?"

"…Huh? Oh, yes, of course," Ilyana said. "You were _my_ maid of honor for me and Zihark's wedding…Of course I'd be yours in return…And Volke was Zihark's best man, so no Zihark is his. See? It's almost exactly the same…except Rhys married _us_, and Bastian will be marrying _you two_ together, but still…"

"Ilyana…"

"It's about time to go, isn't it? You wouldn't want to be late…"

"Yeah; c'mon, let's go!"

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><p><em>Volke's POV<em>

I stood at the altar, waiting outside in calm anticipation for Mia to arrive. Zihark stood behind me as my best man, as I had done for him at his wedding. My presence shocked many people, but I was truly grateful to him for helping me work up my courage to confess to Mia, and I wasn't going to let their gawking stares stop me. Standing across from me was Lucia, clad in a red dress as one of Mia's bridesmaids.

"Nervous?" Zihark asked.

"Not in the slightest," I replied. All of the Greil's Mercenaries, even Shinon — although he still looked bored — had come. I could feel all of their gazes, but it didn't bother me at all.

"Forsooth, for what reason could their possibly be to make a man of Volke's stature tremble with fear at the emerald gaze of fairest Mia?" Bastian asked.

"Uh…yeah, sure," Zihark said, sounding confused. Whenever the count spoke, it seemed like I was the only person who truly understood every last word he said. "Well, here she comes, buddy. Good luck." My head immediately turned to look down the aisle. My heart stopped. Mia wore a wedding dress as white as a Heron's feathers. She had kept her long, violet hair down, and adorned it with a long veil that flowed out gracefully behind her. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Walking behind her was Ilyana. In no time at all, she had reached the altar, standing in front of me. Her usual, wide smile seemed only to be enhanced by the exquisite beauty of both her and her dress. Her large eyes were gleaming and shining brightly, and her cheeks had a slight but noticeable blush.

"But lo; for each of us to be gathered here at the world's end before the ocean's mighty forme, verily, we—"

"_Bastian, speak like a normal person!_" Lucia whispered.

"…Fine," the count replied, sounding disappointed. And so the ceremony continued. I barely heard a word he said, for I was too busy gazing into Mia's eyes. "…And now, you may kiss the bride!" I leaned over slightly. Mia threw her arms around me, and pulled me into the longest, most passionate kiss the two of us had shared. The wedding guests went wild with applause and cheers, the loudest of which was provided by Boyd. I could hear a few of the women, and also Gatrie, sniffling.

"I love you, Volke," Mia whispered.

"…I love you, too…"

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><p><em>4 Months Later<em>

_Volke's POV_

"So, how much longer do you think it will take?!" Mia asked excitedly. Her belly had rounded considerably since the wedding day.

"Mia, it's only been four month; it takes nine for a child to develop in its mother," I replied.

"I know, I know…I'm just _so excited_! I can't wait for him or her to be born!"

"…Yes. Neither can I." I looked down at her belly. She had lifted up her shirt, and was gazing intently down at it. "…You do realize…this child will also carry the Brand—"

"Yes, Volke, I know; I knew it as soon as you proposed to me after that battle, I knew it on our wedding day, and I knew it when we…you know…And I also knew it would carry over to me. And that's just fine with me. Do you know why?"

"…No…"

"Because this way, we can spend an even longer time together than we normally could have!" Mia said. "It's the same with Ilyana and Zihark; he has the Brand from when he was with his Laguz girlfriend, and that carried over to Ilyana and the child in _her_ tummy."

"…I don't know why…but for some reason, I thought she already had the Brand, with how much she eats…"

"Yeah; now, she's hungrier than ever," Mia laughed. Without warning, she leaned over and grabbed my hand and held it. "Now, come feel this; you _need_ to feel the baby kicking! You haven't done so once!" She placed my hand on her belly. It was soft and very warm; I felt like I could have sat on that couch with my wife, and my hand on her belly for all eternity.

"…I'm sorry. I didn't want the blood on my hands to rub off on it," I said. "I…didn't want our child to be like me…"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, dear; I've killed people too, you know! Oh, I can feel it kicking! Did you feel that?!"

"…Yeah, I did…The miracle of life…"

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><p><strong>AN:** And so, this incredibly random crackship comes to end. So, what did you think? Should I do more stuff like this that isn't Digimon related while I work on Lilithmon's Epic, or should I just stick to Digimon?


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